


Safeguard

by Katuary



Series: Rose and Thorn [9]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Dragon Age: Origins Quest - The Battle of Denerim, F/M, Major Character Injury, Near Death Experiences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:55:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27718496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katuary/pseuds/Katuary
Summary: “If anyone took the risk of Morrigan's plan failing, it would be her.”The final blow of the Battle of Denerim.
Relationships: Alistair/Female Cousland (Dragon Age)
Series: Rose and Thorn [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1510469
Kudos: 7





	Safeguard

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally going to be one big one shot spanning the end of the Battle of Denerim and its immediate aftermath, but the warnings and ratings were really mismatched in the different sections. Fluff is incoming, don’t you worry. Enjoy!

She had known it would come to this.

From the moment Riordan explained how to kill an Archdemon, Elissa knew it would come to a choice between her and Alistair. 

Their insurance remained; she knew without looking Morrigan was nearby. Whether she stood near enough to direct the Old God soul away from the Wardens was yet to be seen.

Alistair stood beside her as the Archdemon collapsed, the beast heaving and primed for the killing blow. Fate had conspired to allow Elissa that much. She allowed herself a single steadying breath, shaking in her ears louder than the battle raging around her.

If anyone took the risk of Morrigan's plan failing, it would be her. 

Quick as a striking viper, she swept Alistair's leg from beneath him and sprinted toward the prone Archdemon, her family's sword clenched in both fists. 

The beast woke in time to sinuously raise its head, maw gaping open in a snarl, but Elissa ducked to her knees beneath its strike and drove the sharp point of her blade into its throat. The spray of tainted blood seared as it coursed over her exposed skin, but she paid it little mind. Her blow would not be enough to kill it, but served its intended purpose; the muscle holding the Archdemon's great head aloft tore, putting the killing blow within easy reach. 

She could afford no further qualms. Unyielding, Elissa braced herself and drove the point of her blade down into the Archdemon's skull with a hoarse cry.

Golden light erupted from the point of the strike, burning and blinding her. 

She held fast despite the pain, perhaps despite her own attempts to pull away. For better or worse, her hands were rooted to the hilt of her sword. The light scorched a furrow in her skin, flaring through her nerves as lightning. Had the death throes of the creature not frozen her mouth shut, her screams would have torn her throat raw. 

At last, when she feared she would be unable to bear it any longer, the flash of light burned white hot and pitched her far from the dragon. Her head cracked against the stone floor and the white snapped sharply to black.

* * *

The floor spun, even with her eyes closed. She blinked and made a weak attempt to rise, her legs twitching ineffectively. 

Elissa grit her teeth and rose to her elbows instead. Was the battle truly over atop the fort? She doubted she would have survived losing consciousness otherwise. 

It took her a moment to comprehend what she saw: a mountain of slain Archdemon, dead by her hand.

She had lived. It had worked.

Her eyes instinctively sought out her companions, picking out a handful of figures slowly walking toward her, as if in disbelief. She couldn’t make out anyone familiar, so she squeezed her eyes firmly shut to clear the haze from her vision.

They had to be here. She hadn't looked hard enough. Her elbows gave out, laying her flat with a pained grunt.

” _Liss!”_

Elissa’s eyes snapped open again to find Alistair kneeling beside her. He gingerly gathered her in his arms, close enough for her to bury her nose in the crook of his neck and inhale his scent beneath the smoke and grit of battle. They both sighed in relief, then laughed breathlessly at themselves. He pulled back and rained desperate kisses on her cheeks, forehead, the tip of her nose, before finally meeting her lips. He tasted of copper and ash, and she couldn't care less. Hours seemed to pass before he pulled back, delicately cupping the less injured side of her face.

“You’re _alive_.” His voice was hoarse in disbelief.

She met his gaze and smirked. “So are you.”

“As far as I can tell,” he quipped with a weak laugh, “Definitely a plus.”

"Where is everyone else?"

"They're fine." He laughed again. "I'll admit I spent most of my energy worrying about the person sprinting after the _huge tainted dragon_ , but..."

Elissa’s eyes darted over his shoulder, and her world went spinning again. She blinked hard, but black crawled across her vision. 

“Liss?”

Her chest warmed and her head chilled. She tried to move her hand, only to find it clutched in a tight fist beneath her left breast. A hot lance of pain pierced her heart, and she slumped in Alistair’s arms.

“Elissa? I...oh, Maker... _Wynne!”_


End file.
